Grinding and polishing machine.



A. C. BOYLE, JR. GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED, MAY 9,1912.

1,134,944. I Patented A ia 19 15.

a sanmwnzm 1.

INVENTOR.

A. C. BOYLE, Jn. GRINDING .AND POLISHING MACHINE. APPLICATION Hum MAY 9, 1912.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915'.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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oy/aJ ALBERT CL BOYLB JR, 0F LARAMIE WYOMING.

elements Ann POLISHING MACHINE.

insists.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERTC, BOYLE, J12,

a citizen of the Uiiited'States, residing at- Larainie, in the county of Albany and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grinding and Polishing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

lily invention relates to grinding and polishing machines and more particularly to machines of the type designed to be eniplo red in preparing micro-sections of rocks, minerals, ietals, whose formation can be determined only by the use of a microscope.

lilinerals, rocks and other substances which are transparent in thin section,fare

by the use of my machine ground so thin that light can pass through them whereby their structure may beexamined by transmitted light, while opaque and can thus be examined'only by re fiected light. are by means of my niacliinepolisiied to such a degree that the light falling upon their sections is reflected and thus reveals the formation thei'eof.

Heretoiore the micro-sections have been,

prepared mostly by hand or otherwise by whore or less cumbersome machines which in their operation, depend to a great eXtent on the skill of trained worliiiien, and it is i the object of the present invention to provide a machine of the class described, which being self-contained. is of very si iple and durahle co 'ruc'tioii, and which is well adapted to mechanically and automatically without the attention of skilled operatives.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the abrasive material and water or other liquid used in the grinding and polishing process, inatically fed onto the grinding surface after they hav been impelled by centrifugal force to the peripheral portion of the same,

the said means heing adjustable for the purpose of selecting'th'e material according to its size and specihc gravity separately simultaneously fed "onto the grindin 1: surface while the mach ne is in operation.

Other objects of my invention reside in Specification of Letters Patent.

the provision of a 01:65 01 other substances,

metals, ores and other similar substances which are almost always holders tovrhich the specimens air ind andpolish micro-sections 'view of the lower portion of one of specimen-holders and adpi'cent 1)()l'i.-1(;1-i out are auto-' whereby different finds: of abrasive and water may be the construction,

construction whereby the specimens are moved across the grinding surface for the purpose, of preventing the formation of rid es and of presenting the specimens to ilie flfifidll of the abradant in I, many diiferent positions, in the provision,

Pateiited-Apiufi, 191-5.

a iicati nsieaiia e,i912. SerielNo.696,176.-

rrn rr WE E of means by which the specimens areaiito inatically maintained in frictionalcon-tact with the grinding surface. and in providing I carriers by means of which a plurality of specimens may be ground or'polisledj at time by contact withfone grinding element; '1

and the same,

A reservoir of oil is provided to filltrili'ltltl- I cally feed a lubricant to the principal hear.- ing of the machine while it is ii o 'ierat on. I attain the ahore enumerated objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompany- 7 ing drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and n I Figure 1 represents a plan view of'inyiiiiproved grinding aiid polishin machine,

Fig. a central. vertical section taken along the line Fig. Fin. a horizontal section taken along. the hue 3 3. Fin. n

, 7 drawn to a reduced scale, F i. a horr/Lon- 7 .tal section through one of the rotary cvlindrical carriers which support the specimen while being ground, Fin. a f vertical section through the' said carrier taken along; the line Fig. .l. and showing in elevation, one, of the self adii ihle e attached Fig. 6. a section through the perinherz l 1 tion of the lap-wheel emplo ec in my chine, showing the rim in which theahrasive powders and liquids the grinding surface, and Fig.7, a sectional Qmentary specimens are 'classified lav en trifugal force b fore being returned onto surface which extending and connected with a vout of which are sumvorted wall provides a protective inclosure for the rotary lap-Wheel and the specimens which frictionally engage the-same.

The electric motor which necessarily must be of compact construction, comprises an annular stator 4 which is securely fastened within the lower compartment of the base which, as is clearly shown inFig. 3 of the drawings, is provided with large openings 5 for ventilation purposes.

A step. bearing 6 axially disposed with in the base for' the support of the rotary element ofthe motor, forms part of a motor base 7 which consists of the vertically-bored bearing 6, surrounded by an oil reservoir 8, concentric rim 9 by radial spokes 10. The rim 9 is securely fastened by means of lag-screws l2 to inwardlyfprojecting lugs on the base, and the bore of the bearing 6 is lined with a steel bushing 13 providedflat its upper end with .a flange 14' which in its upper face hasa race for a series of balls 15 upon which the rotary element-of. the motor is supported.

The winding 16 of the rotor which is loosely fitted within the annular-stator, is secured around a hood 1? which covers and surrounds the oil-reservoir 8 and which by means of asteel shaft 18 is rotatably fitted in the bushing 13 of ported upon the balls 15 in the race formed in the flange thereof. The shaft 18 which is fitted in a central opening of the hood is held in place thereon by means of a ring nut 19 which occupies a recess in theupper surface of the hood, and an integral collar 20 which being disposed in a recess in the inner surface of the same, has a concentric groove complementary to the race in the flange of the bushing;

he reservoir 8 is provided at its bottom with a through wi ich its contents may be dra n off, it is of-suflicient size to contain a con siderable quantity of oil which by capillary attraction is constantly fed to the ball bear ing while the rotor is in motion, and the hood 1'? is formed with a conoidal defiective partially into the reservoir, prevents the oil from s'pilling over the outer wall thereof.

The shaft 18 has in its upper portion, an axial, tapering socket for the support of the correspondingly formed shank- 23 of the lap-wheel 24- which consists of a circular disk surrounded by an upwardly curving, interiorly concave rim 25 and provided in adjacency to said rim with a concentric, shallow depression 26. A

Erected upon the lap in axial alinement with the tapering shank thereof, is a shaft 27 which at its upper end is'rotatably fitted in a central bearing which forms part of a spider 29 the dmrnwardly curv' diverg upon th e the bearing and supnormally plugged opening 21 flanged rim of the base 2. The spider 29 is furthermore provided with three elongated vertical bearings 30 which are equiwhich in its circumferential surface has a plurality of equidistant, vertically extending recesses 33, the outer openings of which are normally closed by means of vertically movable slides 34 for the purpose of providing sheaths in which, in practice, the specimendhol'ders 35 are vertically movably dispose The'holders 35, each-consist of astem which extends through the respective recess '33 and whose protruding lower end is enlarged in diameter to provide a chuck 36 which at its bottom surface is recessed 'to receive the specimen to be polished.

In case the specimens which in the, drawings have been designated by the numeral .lar form, they may be'secured in the recesses means such as of the holders bymechanical 4 7 of the drawthe set-screw 38 shown in Fig. mgs. a t

provided at their upper protruding ends with heads 39. the upper mounted on headed posts 41, the threadedlower portions of which are secured in correspondinglythreaded openings in lugswhich form part of the walls of the recesses '33 in which the respective holders are disposed.

prings 42 coiled around the posts between the heads thereof and the respective disks,- tend to constantly maintain the specilower ends of the holders in frict-lonal contact with the grinding surface of the lap-wheel 24 and stop-nuts'43 screwed upon the threaded portions of the post be-" low the heads of the respective holders. are provided to limit the extent of their down ward movement. I

The shafts 31 of the carriers 32 arep'rovided at their upper ends with worm-wheels 44 which bear upon the upper end-surfaces of the respective bearings 30 and which mesh respectivelv. with worms formed at rotatablv the ends of shafts45 which are in boxes 46 on the spider 29 and opposite ends carry wormmounted which at their are 1n operative v engaewheels 47 whic ment with a'worm 48 mounted at the upper end ofthe shaft '27 connected with the lap-v wheel 521i.

the lap-wheel is rotated, the specimen holders will. by means of the above described gearing. be simultaneously rotated about their vertical axes at a rate of speed considerably less than that of the wheel, and the specimens at the ends of the holders be ing' held in contact with the upper surface of the lap by means of the springs 4:2. will be ground or polislied by the abrasive action of the material fed onto the said surface until the downward movement of the holders is arrested by the respective stop-nuts As a result of the movement of the specimens across the lap, they are presented to the grinding force in an infinite numberot positions and every part of each specimen, irrespective of its structure will thus at one time or another be subjected to the grinding or polishing action of the abradants on the lap. The formation of ridges in either the specimens or the surface of the wheel is by the movement of the former. posi ively avoided and the production of new and abnormal structures as often takes place in very soft metals and alloys when 'held in one position during the grinding process, is done away with.

To automatically feed the abrasive mate rial and water or other liquid with which the lap is initially supplied onto the portion of the surface engaged by the speci niens, while the machine is in operation. I have provided a conduit l9 composed of two tubular men'ibers 50 and 51 which are adjust-ably connected by means of a union 52 attached at the end oi an adjusting screw 5? which is mounted in a threaded block 54 secured upon the flanged rim of the base 2. The lower one. Til. of its lower end bent opposite to the direction of rotation of the lap 24- within or in close proximity to the concavity of the rim 9 5. and the other memberjO extends from the union upwardly and toward the shaft 27 and thence downwardly to a point above the grinding surface in adjacency to the center of the same.

It is obvious that to eii'ectively grind or polish the specimens without changing: their texture or structure by becoming: heated. not onlv an abrasive powder but also a liquid must be constantly supplied to the grinding surlacc of the lap with which they are in frictional engagement.

.\s the lap tivelv hinht ratr or" plied upon its an the opera't moved to thrpitheir orivii'd in iced. the materials supc at the initial point of by centrifugal forciof the wheel until is arrested 't-v the the two members has rotates at a compara curved rim in whose concavity the constituents ot the material will arrange thenr selves, in layers'according to their specific drawings in which the numerals 55, .56. 57

respectively designate the coarsest abrasive,

gravity, as is illustrated in Fig. 6 of the the finer abrasive and the water or other liquid.

During the rotary movement of the lap, the matter into which the end of the conduitmember 51 extends. is drawn into and through the conduit 49 to be delivered through the orifice of the member 50 onto the central portion of the grinding surface and the character of the abrasive thus continuously fed onto the said surface. is readily varied in accordance with the requirements of the specimens under treatment by adjustment of the screw The amounts 0'1? abrasive and liv'piid supplied to the grinding surface through the conduit depends on the diameter thereof and while in the drawings but one conduit has been shown, it will be readily understood that. if so desired, two similar conduits may be employed to simultaneously feed an abrasive and a clear liquid onto the surface oi the lap-wheel.

The electric motor which supplies the motive force for the various operafngparts of the machine. is preferably designed to be ope ated bv either a direct or alternating current and it may be connected by any suitable means with a conveniently locate source of electricity; the lap-wheel .isusually steel. a carborundum or emery wheel is us-.-.l

in connection with the lap. and for polishing. cloth. chamois skin. leather or felt is by an adhesive or othersuitable means scoured upon the face of the wheel.

The abrasive fed onto the grinding surface is varied in accordance with. the character of the specimens to be ground, fine carborundum or emery powders being most commonly used. The bearing of the rotor is constantly supplied with oil from. the reservoir 8 by capillary attraction anchit' necessary, a strip 56 of cloth or other fabric may be suspended from the bearing into the reservoir. as is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawine's. to more readily convey the oil from the latter to the parts ofthc bearing.

ll'ith respect to the methods shown and described for securing the specimens at the end of theholders. it will he understood that in preparing thin sections. the specimen after one of its sides is made iia tand true by grinding. is cemented to a rclativelythici: piece 0t sheet glass or othermaterial. which latter is then secured in the holder for iinal ='rindine. or. in case the specimen are not adapted to be held in theholders by cement or by the said screw, it may be necessary to screw, and a nut on cement it in a metallie'or porcelain base, which is then clamped in the holder.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure'by Letters-Patent is: j I

1. In a grinding and polishing machine, a rotary lap-wheel, arrotary carrier having a recess remote from its axis of rotation, a holder movable in said recess and having a chuck-adapted torigidly hold a specimen foiyengagement with the face of said wheel, a spring on said carrier, engaging said holder to maintain the said specimen in continuous engagement with the said face, by movement of said holder, and adjustable means for limiting the extent of said movement.

2. Ina. grinding and polishing machine, a rotary lap-wheel, a rotary carrier having a. recess remote fromits axis of rotation, a

holder movable in said recess and having a chuck adapted to rigidlyhold a specimen for'engagement with the face of said wheel, and a spring on said carrier engaging said holder to maintain the said specimen in continuous engagement with the said face by movement of said holder.

3. In a grinding and polishing machine. the combination with agrinding surface, of a movable holder adapted to hold a men in engagement therewith, and micrometrically adjustable means for determining the extent of the movement of said holder toward said surface. 4i In a grinding and polishing machine, the combination with a grinding surface, of a headed holder movable by gravity to hold a specimen in. engagement therewith, a i said screw to determine movement of said holder said surface by engagement with its the extent of the toward head.

5. In a grinding and polishing machine,

the combination with a grinding surface. of

a movable, headed holder adapted to hold a specimen for engagement therewith, a spring for moving holder toward said surface, a screw, and a nut on said screw to determine the extent of the movement of said-holder toward said surface y engagement with said head. 6'. In grinding and polishing machine, the combination with a rotary grinding surface, of a holder movable by gravity toward said surface and-at right angles thereto and having means for holding a metallurgical or petrographical specimen for frictional. engagement With the same, so that it can be ground and polished. by the movement of the surface, to a thinness? suitable for microscopic examination. T

7. In a grinding and pol shing machine, the combination with a rotary grinding surspecimicroscopic examination, v yieldingly and automatically press said face, of a holder movable at right angles thereto and having means for holding a that it can be ground and polished by the movement thereof, to a thmness suitable for I icroscopic examination, and means for feeding said holder, automatically, toward said surface to a'preselected limit.

In agrinding and polishing machine, the combination with a rotary grinding surface, ofa plurality of holders movable at right angles thereto and each having means forholding a metallurgical or petrographical specimen for frictional engagement with said surface so that it can be ground and polished by'the movement thereof, to a thinness suitable for microscopic examination. and means adapted to rotate the said hold ers collectively about a common axis.

9.. In a grinding and polishing. machine,

. the combination with a rotary rindin 'surface, of a plurality of holders movable at right angles thereto and each having means for holding a metallurgical or petrographical specimen in frictional engagement with said surface so that it can be ground and polished bv the movement thereof, to a thinness suitable 'for microscopic examination, means for feeding each holder, individually, toward said surface to a preselected limit, and means adapted to rotate the said holders collectively about a common axis.

10. Ina grinding and polishing machine, the combination with a rotary grinding surface, of a holder movable at right angles thereto and having a rotary movement about an axis remote from its own axis, and means for feeding said holder toward said surface to .a preselected limit, the said holder being adapted to hold a metallurgical or petrographical specimen in frictional engagement with said surface so that it can be ground and'polished bv the movement thereof to a thinness suitable for microscopic ex amination. v

11. In a ganding and polishing machine, the comoina'tion with'a rotary grinding surface, of a holder movable at right angles thereto and having means for holding a metallurgical or petrographical specimen for frictional engagement with said surface so that it can be ground and polished by the movementthereof, to a thinness suitable for and means to holder toward said surface.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT G. BOYLE, JR. Witnesses: I

Jus'rus P. ,SO'ULE,

CHARLES W. DE KAY. 

